Thursday, October 15, 2009

Starting up ...






Wanted to be able to participate in the quilter's festival, so had to learn how to create a blog! Sorry there's not much else here yet ...


I started quilting a couple months ago. My first project was a 5-square block design I found on the web. It came out great, but I quickly realized that following someone else's design was not that interesting for me. So I decided to create my own.

I came up with a 9-square kaleidoscope design that I felt needed some really bright colors. Off to the local quilt shop, where I found the perfect fabric. A local artist had hand-dyed pieces in really nice colors. She sold packages of 20 6x9 squares, each a different color, as well as 1/4 yd pieces. 

So, I put the 9x9 design together, and was really pleased with it, except for the bulk of some of the intersections. I couldn't figure out a way to press them to get them all to lock together nicely.

Then the question was, what next? I have been wanting to try quilt-as-you-go, so I made a top and bottom panel, using a row of "diamonds" in each one, and a couple of side panels. After machine quilting all the sections, another lesson was learned. Your quilting design can really change the size of your blocks!

The large 9x9 was 19.25 inches when I started, and 18.5 after quilting. The top and bottom panels were 19.25 when I started, but 19 when I finished. So I had to trim quarter inch off each end of the panels. I lost the nice points on the end diamonds, but oh well!

The process of joining the sections went really well. Then I tried putting the binding on totally by machine, based on a video I found on you-Tube. That was a challenge. I think I need a better machine for that.


Anyway, I love the final quilt. I used a nice soft yellow flannel for the backing, thinking that the quilt might go to the next new baby in the family, but I don't know that I'll be able to give it up!

10 comments:

  1. Good job on starting your blog. It is a great place to show your work. Love the quilt and the quilting.

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  2. Fearless Quilter and Blogger,

    Congrats on starting a blog and quilting! That's more than most people can do! Hope you enjoy blogging and continuing to quilt. Love your quilt, especially the quilting. Nice work!

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  3. Good start to both the quilt designing and the blog. Hope you continue to enjoy both :)

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  4. Your quilt is beautiful and your blog looks great! Looking forward to reading more.

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  5. I love how the colors flow! Great design.

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  6. Welcome to the fold! Quilting is soooooo addicting. 24 years and going strong!

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  7. I like your blog, the color and layout. We have the same taste. I wanted to start a blog to show off my quilting and other things. I haven't posted quilts yet, still learning about blogs. See if you can find "goofy-doodles", my blog. Good luck to you!!

    Sarah

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